Building structure using concrete blocks

Abstract

Lightweight building structures constructed by assembling a plurality of building blocks in contiguous end to end relationship. The blocks have spaced apart and parallel opposite longitudinal walls and opposite transverse members integrally connecting said walls so as to define a substantially rectangular inner space. The top of the transverse members of at least a portion of the blocks are at a lower level than the tops of the longitudinal walls so that horizontally extending reinforcing bars may be positioned therein. Vertically extending reinforcing bars which may be surrounded by reinforcing loops are also positioned within the inner spaces defined by the contiguous blocks. Mortar is charged to the inner spaces defined by contiguous blocks to unite the blocks and reinforcing members. V-shaped vertical edges are provided on the longitudinal walls of a block to provide stronger joints between blocks. Blocks having longitudinal walls of different lengths and flat vertical edges are used to provide L-shaped, T-shaped and cross-shaped corners. In certain embodiments of the building structures, sound or heat insulating materials are positioned within the inner rectangular spaces to provide sound and heat insulating properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A building structure comprising (i) a plurality of contiguous concrete blocks spaced in an end to end relationship, said blocks comprising two rectangular side boards spaced from and extending parallel to each other, each said side board having at least one V-shaped vertical edge, said V-shaped edge abutting the V-shaped edge on an adjacent block, and connecting members integrally connecting said side boards wherein the side boards of at least one of said plurality of blocks are of different lengths and have respective V-shaped vertical edges aligned with each other and wherein the shorter side board has one flat vertical edge, the height of said connecting members being less than the height of said boards, such that the top of each of said connecting members is at a lower level than the top of each of said boards; (ii) horizontally extending reinforcing bars situated within the space between said side boards above the top of said connecting members; (iii) vertically extending reinforcing bars situated within the space formed by said side boards and said connecting members; (iv) reinforcing loops positioned in the space formed by said side boards and said connecting members and surrounding said vertically extending reinforcing bars; and (v) mortar in the spaces defined by said side boards and said connecting members and all of the grooves defined by said V-shaped edges, integrally uniting members (i) - (iv). 
     
     
       2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the longer of said boards has V-shaped opposite vertical edges. 
     
     
       3. A building structure comprising (i) a plurality of contiguous concrete blocks spaced in an end to end relationship, said blocks comprising two rectangular side boards spaced from and extending parallel to each other, each said side board having at least one V-shaped vertical edge, said V-shaped edge abutting the V-shaped edge on an adjacent block, and connecting members integrally connecting said side boards, the height of said connecting members being less than the height of said boards, such that the top of each of said connecting members is at a lower level than the top of each of said boards wherein the side boards of at least one of said plurality of blocks are of the same length and have respective V-shaped vertical edges and flat vertical edges aligned with each other and wherein both of said side boards extend a greater distance beyond one of said connecting members than they extend beyond the other of said connecting members; (ii) horizontally extending reinforcing bars situated within the space between said side boards above the top of said connecting members; (iii) vertically extending reinforcing bars situated within the space formed by said side boards and said connecting members; (iv) reinforcing loops positioned in the space formed by said side boards and said connecting members and surrounding said vertically extending reinforcing bars; and (v) mortar in the spaces defined by said side boards and said connecting members and all of the grooves defined by said V-shaped edges, integrally uniting members (i) - (iv). 
     
     
       4. A building structure comprising (i) a plurality of contiguus concrete blocks spaced in an end to end relationship, said blocks comprising a generally rectangular frame formed by two longitudinal walls and two transverse walls and having a substantially rectangular inner space with oblique corners formed therein, said longitudinal walls having V-shaped opposite vertical edges, which extend beyond the transverse walls and a plurality of holes therethrough, and a sound absorbing material positioned in said inner space wherein said oblique corners prevent said sound absorbing material from contacting said longitudinal walls; (ii) vertically extending reinforcing bars situated in the space defined by the V-shaped vertical edges and transverse walls of adjacent blocks; and (iii) mortar in the space defined by the V-shaped vertical edges and transverse walls of adjacent blocks and the grooves formed by the V-shaped vertical edge of adjacent blocks which face said space for integrally uniting (i) and (ii) 
     
     
       5. The structure of claim 4, wherein the transverse walls of at least one of said plurality of blocks have generally U-shaped notches extending down to substantially the vertical midpoint of the walls. 
     
     
       6. The structure of claim 5, which includes horizontally extending reinforcing bars situated within said U-shaped notches. 
     
     
       7. The structure of claim 4, wherein said sound absorbing material is provided with a plurality of bores aligned with the through holes of said longitudinal walls. 
     
     
       8. A building structure comprising (i) a plurality of contiguous concrete blocks spaced in an end to end relationship, said blocks comprising a generally rectangular frame formed by two longitudinal walls and two transverse walls and having a substantially rectangular inner space having oblique corners, said longitudinal walls having V-shaped opposite vertical edges, which extend beyond the transverse walls and having vertically extending ridges integrally formed thereon on the inner surface of said longitudinal walls, and a heat insulating material positioned in said inner space wherein said vertically extending ridges and oblique corners prevent said heat insulating material from contacting said longitudinal walls; (ii) vertically extending reinforcing bars situated in the space defined by the V-shaped vertical edges and transverse walls of adjacent blocks and (iii) mortar in the space defined by the V-shaped vertical edges and transverse walls of adjacent blocks and the grooves formed by the V-shaped vertical edge of adjacent blocks which face said space for integrally uniting (i) and (ii). 
     
     
       9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the transverse walls of at least one of said plurality of blocks have generally U-shaped notches extending down to substantially the vertical midpoint of the walls. 
     
     
       10. The structure of claim 9, which includes horizontally extending reinforcing bars situated within said U-shaped notches.